Safety device for quickly releasing control ropes of roman shades

ABSTRACT

A safety device for Roman shades includes multiple loop members connected to each of the folding lines on the shade and multiple restriction members are connected to multiple loop members. Each restriction member includes multiple extensions which spirally wrap to each other so as to define an opening therebetween. Multiple engaging members are connected to the loop members located at a lower end of the shade. Multiple control ropes each have a top end connected to the top box of the Roman shade and the lower end of each control rope extends through the openings of the restriction members and is connected to a collar. The collars can be disengaged from the engaging members. When the control ropes are pulled laterally, the collars are disengaged from the engaging members and the control ropes are disengaged from the extensions of the restriction members.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a Roman shade, and more particularly, to a safety device for quickly releasing the control ropes of Roman shade when the control ropes are pulled not for operating the Roman shade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional Roman shade includes a shade which generally is a fabric sheet and the fabric sheet has one end fixed to the top box and a lot of folded portions are formed on the inside and/or outside of the shade so as to establish specific decoration features. A lot of passages are defined transversely through the shade and rods extend through the passage to define sections of the shade. Multiple rings are fixedly connected to the folding lines of the shade and the control ropes extend through the rings. The top ends of the control ropes are connected to the top box and the lower ends of the control ropes are fixed to the lowest rings. The user can lift and lower the shade by pull of the control ropes.

When pulling the control ropes, the sections of the shade are collected one by one by the pulling force applied to the rings. However, the control ropes are exposed from outside of the shade and children may play the control ropes and this can be dangerous when the control ropes tangle the kids.

The present invention intends to provide a safety device for Roman shades and which includes multiple engaging members connected to the lower end of the shade, each engaging member holds the collar connected to the lower end of each control rope. When the control ropes are pulled laterally, the control ropes are easily disengaged from the engaging members and do not tangle the children.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to Roman shade which comprises a top box and a top end of a shade is connected to the top box. The shade is composed of multiple fabric sheets and multiple pocket portions are formed along a first side of the shade. The pocket portions each are defined by folding upward a part of the fabric sheet and fixing the part along a folding line, each pocket portion defines a passage through which a rod extends. Multiple loop members are connected to each of the folding lines. Multiple restriction members are connected to the multiple loop members and each restriction member includes multiple extensions which spirally wrap to each other so as to define an opening therebetween. Multiple engaging members are connected to the loop members located at a lower end of the shade. Multiple control ropes each have a top end connected to the top box and the lower end of each control rope extends through the openings of the restriction members. Multiple collars are connected to the lower ends of the multiple control ropes and are engaged with the engaging members. The collars are disengaged from the engaging members and the control ropes are disengaged from the extensions of the restriction members when the control ropes are pulled laterally.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for Roman shades wherein the control ropes can be easily loosen from the shade when they are pulled laterally so as to prevent children from playing and being tangled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for Roman shades wherein the restriction members of the safety device can be made of metal or plastic material. The restriction members can be manufactured easily at low cost.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Roman shade with the safety device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view to show that the control rope extends through the opening of the restriction member of the safety device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view to show the engaging member and the collar on the control rope of the safety device of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view to show that the collar on the control rope is engaged with the engaging member of the safety device of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows that the lower portion of the Roman shade is pulled upward;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view to show that two restriction members are collected together when the lower portion of the Roman shade is pulled upward, and the collar is still engaged with the engaging member;

FIG. 7 is a side view to show that the collar is engaged with the engaging member when the lower portion of the Roman shade is pulled upward;

FIG. 8 shows that the control rope is disengaged form the engaging member and the restriction members if the control ropes are pulled laterally, and

FIG. 9 shows another way to engage the collar with the engaging member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the Roman shade of the present invention comprises a top box 1 in which control mechanism (not shown) is received which is known to persons in the art and will not be described in detail. A shade 10 may include a single fabric sheet or composed of multiple fabric sheets 11. The top end of the shade 10 is connected to the top box 1 and multiple pocket portions are formed along a first side of the shade 10. The pocket portions each are defined by folding upward a part of the fabric sheet and fixing the part along a folding line 12. Each pocket portion defines a passage which extends transversely through the shade 10. Rods extend through the passages to form multiple sections of the shade 10. Multiple loop members 13 are connected to each of the folding lines 12.

Multiple restriction members 20 are connected to the multiple loop members 13 and each restriction member 20 includes a ring 21 which includes a first elongate slot 22. Each of the loop members 13 includes a hole 131 and the restriction members 20 are connected to the loop members 13 by extending through holes 131 and the first elongate slots 22 to each other. Each restriction member 20 includes a first extension 23 and a second extension 24 which spirally wraps to the first extension 23. An opening 25 is defined between the first and second extensions 23, 24, and a spiral gap is defined between the first and second extensions 23, 24. It is noted that the first extensions 23 each include a first bending distal end 231 and the second extensions 24 each have a second bending distal end 241. The gap is in communication with the opening between the first and second bending distal ends 231, 241.

Multiple engaging members 30 are connected to the loop members 13 located at a lower end of the shade 10. Each of the engaging members 30 includes a connection portion 31 which includes a second elongate slot 32 and each of the loop members 13 includes a hole 131. The engaging members 30 are connected to the loop members 13 by extending through holes 131 and the first elongate slots 22 to each other. Each connection portion 31 includes two first protrusions 33 and two second protrusions 35 which are located between the two first protrusions 33.

Each of the first protrusions 33 includes a first stop 34 extending from an inside thereof and each of the second protrusions 35 includes a second stop 36 extending from an outside thereof which faces the first protrusion 33 next to the second protrusion 35. Each of the second projections 35 includes a first projection 361 extending from an inside thereof which faces the other second protrusion 35. Each of the second projections 35 includes a second projection 362 extending from the outside thereof and located at a lower end of the second stop 36 corresponding thereto. The second protrusions 36 are longer than the first protrusions 35. The connection portion 31, the first protrusions 33 and the second protrusions 35 of each of the engaging members 30 are integrally made or plastic material.

Multiple control ropes 40 each have a top end connected to the top box 1 and the lower end of each control rope 40 extends through the openings 25 of the restriction members 20. Multiple collars 50 are connected to the lower ends of the multiple control ropes 40 and engaged with the engaging members 30. The collars 50 can be engaged between the two second protrusions 35 as shown in FIG. 4 and stopped by the two first projections 361. As shown in FIG. 9, the collars 50 can also be engaged between the first and second protrusions 33, 35 and stopped by the first stops 34 and the second projections 362. From left to right as shown in FIG. 3, the distances between the first protrusion 33 and the second protrusion 33, 35, the two second protrusions 35, and the second protrusion 35 and the first protrusion 33 are set to be different. The longer the shade 10 is, the required “holding forces” that the collars 50 are held by the first and second protrusions 33, 35 are different. The narrower the distance is, the larger the holding force that is applied to the collars 50. The holding force can be calculated and test so that when normally operating the control ropes 40, the collars 50 are not separated from the engaging members 30.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, when pulling the control ropes 40, the collars 50 drag the engaging members 30 and collect the sections of the shade 10 from the lower end one by one. The control ropes 40 freely move through the openings 25 of the restriction members 20.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the control ropes 40 are mis-operated, such as are pulled laterally rather than pulled up and down, or when the control ropes 40 tangle the children who try to struggle to escape from the control ropes 40 and drag the control ropes 40 with significant force, the significant force separates the collars 50 from the engaging members 30. The control ropes 40 can also easily disengaged from the openings 25 and the gaps between the first and second bending distal ends 231, 241 of the restriction members 20. Of course, the collars 50 can be any shape such as polygonal or round.

The safety device releases the control ropes 40 by disengaging the collars 50 from the engaging members 30 when the control ropes 40 are pulled laterally, such that the control ropes 40 cannot tangle children who try to play with the control ropes 40.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A Roman shade comprising: a top box; a shade composed of multiple fabric sheets and a top end of the shade connected to the top box and multiple pocket portions formed along a first side of the shade, the pocket portions each being defined by folding upward a part of the fabric sheet and fixing the part along a folding line, each pocket portion defining a passage which extends transversely through the shade, rods extending through the passages, multiple loop members connected to each of the folding lines; multiple restriction members connected to the multiple loop members and each restriction member including multiple extensions which spirally wrap to each other so as to define an opening therebetween; multiple engaging members connected to the loop members located at a lower end of the shade; multiple control ropes each have a top end connected to the top box and the lower end of each control rope extending through the openings of the restriction members, and multiple collars connected to the lower ends of the multiple control ropes and engaged from the engaging members, when the control ropes are pulled laterally, the collars are disengaged from the engaging members and the control ropes are disengaged from the extensions of the restriction members.
 2. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the restriction members includes a ring which includes a first elongate slot and each of the loop members includes a hole, the restriction members are connected to the loop members by extending through holes and the first elongate slots to each other, each restriction member includes a first extension and a second extension which spirally wraps to the first extension, the opening is defined between the first and second extensions, a spiral gap is defined between the first and second extensions.
 3. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first extensions each include a first bending distal end and the second extensions each have a second bending distal end.
 4. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the engaging members includes a connection portion which includes a second elongate slot and each of the loop members includes a hole, the engaging members are connected to the loop members by extending through holes and the first elongate slots to each other, each connection portion includes two first protrusions and two second protrusions which are located between the two first protrusions, the collars are engaged between the first and second protrusions.
 5. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the first protrusions includes a first stop extending from an inside thereof.
 6. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the second protrusions includes a second stop extending from an outside thereof which faces the first protrusion next to the second protrusion.
 7. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the second projections includes a first projection extending from an inside thereof which faces the other second protrusion.
 8. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the second projections includes a second projection extending from the outside thereof and located at a lower end of the second stop corresponding thereto.
 9. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second protrusions are longer than the first protrusions.
 10. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connection portion, the first protrusions and the second protrusions of each of the engaging members are integrally made or plastic material.
 11. The Roman shade as claimed in claim 6, wherein a distance between the first protrusion and the second protrusion adjacent and a distance between the two adjacent second protrusions are different. 